I still enjoy using recipes from this cook book. It is easy to follow and has some great easy recipes. I highly suggest this to anyone wanting to try new mexican dishes that are healthy and easy.

Mexican food is one of my absolutely favourite cuisines, but also one that I’m not great at cooking. Sure, I can rustle up some fajitas, but there’s a whole lot more than that!

This book isn’t just about Mexican food, but strongly leans into the ‘healthy’ part of the title. In fact, the first section is a lot of very familiar ‘swaps’ – wholemeal rice and pasta instead of white, for instance; lean meats; ‘good’ fats. And corn tortillas are better than flour! It talks about using beans and lentils for protein, which feels doubly relevant given current food inflation – less meat might be a huge help in budgeting, and it doesn’t have to be flavourless, as this book shows!

There’s also a section describing the differences between types of chilli, and mexican cheeses – very useful if you’re going to have to use substitutes. There’s also some pictures of useful tools, including my much-coveted tortilla press, and a list of common Mexican ingredients to keep in stock. Most of these were things I’d already have rather than anything ultra-exotic (specialist chillies aside!).

Sadly my review copy didn’t come with pictures, which is always one big joy of cookery books. However, the design is lovely: lots of Mexican tiles, and each section laid out like a tapas menu. We start with salsas – so many I would never have thought about! – followed by appetisers and sides, soups, salads, meat/fish, poultry, meatless, rice/beans, and desserts.

Most of the recipes seem really simple and achievable. Many have only a handful of ingredients, and other than a brief translation from ‘American’ (cilantro, zucchini, etc – but the measurements are given in cups and grams, phew!) aren’t at all complicated. Ingredients are usually very common – beans, tomatoes, spices, etc – with only one or two instances that seemed American-only.

One complaint would be quantities: I’d love to make the pinto bean salad, for instance, but the serving is for 8! Cutting that down for 1 or 2 is more difficult than, say, giving a 4-person recipe that can be halved or doubled relatively easily. Mind you, any time I’ve eaten Mexican food, it does seem like it goes very well for a big crowd, so maybe the flaw is more mine 😉

The recipes cover a great mix of what I – and I suspect the ‘average’ (esp. UK) punter – would think of as Mexican food, but as the intro discusses, Tex-Mex is huge in the States, and there’s a wide range of regional adaptations even across California to Texas, never mind the traditional dishes. Cooking methods, too, range from the griddle to the slow cooker.

My favourite section was probably the chicken. Enchiladas, tamales, slow cooker orange chicken – bring them all to me! The focus on both the poultry and meat sections is actually how little you need – it’s all about added vegetables and spices.

To be fair, I haven’t cooked much out of this (mainly a few of the rice and sides recipes) – yet! – and while things do sound simple I was often slightly put off by the nicheness of a few ingredients. Okay, mainly chilli: it’s not impossible, but not easy where I am, to source such a wide variety of chilli types. I was also much too lazy/scared/lacking a tortilla press to do my own dough, which sadly rules out tamales (so delicious!) until I overcome some of that! It’s no different to any cuisine, though: if your focus is Indian, Italian, or Mexican – each has need of a certain amount of set up to do right/easily.

Still, I thoroughly enjoyed the mix of themes here – Mexican flavours, but still healthy – and I’m hugely looking forward to some braver experiments going forward.

As a vegetarian, I am always on the lookout for cookbooks that feature "normal" veg-based recipes. This book delivers! I loved the variety of recipes, and the ease of instructions. Well done!

This cookbook feels like it was created especially for me. As someone who grew up in the southwest USA and moved to the midwest... It is difficult to find healthy mexican food. The author does a spectactular job at explaining alternatives of traditional meals to create healthier but still mouthwatering options.

This was a great cookbook and I really enjoyed reading through the recipes. I love Mexican food, so I definitely found some that I will be making.

Healthy Easy Mexican is filled with delicious-looking (and tasting- I've tried a few) recipes (and pictures! Velda de la Garza is a registered dietitian and adds nutritious twists to simple and seriously tasty Mexican recipes.

I'm gluten-intolerant, so I am always on the lookout for new recipes (plus the bare-bones info of what ingredients actually go into my meals). As I live in a fairly smaller, rural-ish town in coastal NC, I spend a lot of my time in the kitchen. And given that my husband and kids could probably eat Mexican food 6 out of 7 nights a week, I love getting new ideas for Mexican meals I can make at home.

There are upwards of about 160 recipes for appetizers, soups, salads, salsas, meat and some vegetarian entrees, as well as desserts. I'm not going to lie, I search mainly for sauces, dips, and meat entrees but I will tell you, the recipe for cinnamon bananas is absolutely delicious!!

I would absolutely recommend Healthy Easy Mexican for those looking to add a little spice into their cooking game!

*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

The title says it all: this is a collection of healthy, easy Mexican recipes. Traditional Mexican dishes have been lightened or brightened. Most ingredients are readily available in any grocery store (I have my doubts about hominy at my small-town options, but we'll see). The ARC I reviewed did not yet have pictures, so I can't evaluate the quality of the photography, but it does look like they left plenty of room for them.

Healthy Easy Mexican is a fabulous cookbook, full of easy to make recipes that will appeal to many. Using common ingredients, the instructions are clearly written and easy to follow. As a result, you will be able to create dishes that are healthy and lower in fat, without sacrificing taste and appearance. The recipes also include nutritional information as well as diabetic exchanges, making it even easier to plan meals.

This book is beautifully presented. The photographs are colorful, the information is well-organized, and the overall effect is professional and appealing.

I highly recommend this book. It is well-written and novice cooks as well as the more experienced will enjoy using it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

This book looks so appealing. I love Mexican Food. There is a local store nearby with all fresh Mexican ingredients and also spices and additional Mexican grocery items. The idea that for everyday, to have some simple and easy new recipes sounded terrific.

I tried to open the NG PDF and even updated all my Google information and it says it has a PDF Converter. I tried that, too. I am using an iPad. It just gives me a page with code on it. I absolutely could not download it.

I have been able to add PDF’s to my Apple Library before, but this has happened a few times before with NetGalley.

I gave it 5* b/c I think you mentioned this could be a problem. The author has an Hispanic name, the book cover looks very appealing and professional, and it likely has wonderful recipes. Sorry that is all I could go by.

If this gets changed, please update me anytime and I will be happy to read the book and review it better.

Thank you, NetGalley and Velda de la Garza for an ARC of this book. Sorry, it did not work out. Wish you much success.

Great book of healthier Mexican recipes. I appreciated that these seemed to use mostly readily available ingredients. The intro section covers information on The Mexican Kitchen and The Mexican Pantry, for equipment and items that are common and good to have on hand. Recipes are in chapters on Salsas & Dips, Appetizers & Sides, Soups & Breads, Salads, Meat & Fish, Poultry, Meatless Mains, Rice and Beans, and Desserts. Recipes are also included for sauces that are used in some of the main recipes.
The review copy I received did not contain any photographs of the dishes. There were pages that seemed to be placeholders for photos to come, but they were not with every recipe, so I assume that the final book will not have photos of every item.

Thank you to The Experiment (publisher) and NetGalley for an advanced copy.

There are so many delicious and healthy recipes in this book that I will definitely be buying a hard copy once it's released. My husband and I recently started following the Mediterranean way of eating and so many of these recipes either fit perfectly or can easily be adapted to be compliant. I really cannot wait to try so many of these recipes!

#HealthyEasyMexican #NetGalley

Healthy Easy Mexican is a tutorial guide with recipes developed by Velda de la Garza. Due out 12th Oct 2021 from The Experiment, it's 272 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.

Traditional Mexican food has a less-than-stellar reputation as being full of unhealthy fats and ingredients such as lard, salt, high-fat cheeses, and sour cream. The truth is that much of the traditional cuisine is full of indisputably healthy foods such as avocado, citrus, beans lentils & other legumes, fiber rich corn, and other really good nutrition-rich ingredients. This cookbook is full of well-curated appealing recipes developed by a nutritionist and healthcare provider.

The introduction includes important background information covering ingredients, preparation, an overview over fats, and pantry stocking information including healthy alternatives. The recipes are arranged thematically: Salsas & Dips, Appetizers & Sides, Soups & Breads, Salads, Meat & Fish, Poultry, Meatless Meals, Rice & Beans, and Desserts. Each recipe includes a title, yields, ingredients in a bullet list sidebar, followed by step-by-step cooking instructions. Recipe ingredients are listed with both American standard measures and metric measures (yay!). Nutritional information includes calories, fat, fiber, sodium, saturated fat, cholesterol, and the diabetic exchange values for each recipe.

Roughly 25% of the recipes will contain photographs (not provided with the early eARC for review). The final release copy will also contain a cross referenced index. One thing I liked about this particular book (in addition to the healthier take on Mexican food which is a *huge* favorite in my family) is that the recipes all include the dish names in Spanish in the header. It's a simple way to learn a few words of Spanish as a bonus in additional to family friendly and tasty food.

Four and a half stars. This is a well written book full of good recipes. It would be a good choice for public library acquisition, cookbook fans, and lovers of Mexican cuisine looking for healthier & lighter alternatives.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I wasn't able to download a copy of the book through the ARC system at NetGalley. Support contacted me and offered to send me a PDF to my personal email, I agreed but never received.

This cookbook had some really great recipes. The recipes were easy to understand and not too complicated for the average cook. I enjoyed the illustrations and look forward to making these recipes for years to come.

Nice photos, good looking recipes. Many tempting dishes. The tortillas that I tried worked out great. Lots of easy dishes.

This cookbook is attractively packaged (illustrated). It offers a routine collection of Mexican-style recipes which do not seem to use an abundance of healthy ingredients. The recipes seem dated. The cookbook is not one I would add to my collection as a go-to Mexican cooking reference. I believe my customers would show little interest in buying the title either. I do appreciate the opportunity to preview the title via the publisher, through NetGalley.

Mexican food doesn't have to be deep fried and oozing with cheese to be delicious! Get all the flavors you love without all of the calories. Authentic recipes for all of your favorites all from a registered dietitian!

How many cookbooks are both heart-healthy and full of heart? Healthy Easy Mexican is just that--a jewel of a cookbook for anyone who loves Mexican food and wants to prepare authentic, boldly-flavored, and healthy Mexican dishes at home. Written by Velda de la Garza, a registered dietician of Mexican heritage, it avoids the pitfall of many cookbooks written by dieticians/nutritionists that feel like they were developed in a food lab—long on nutrients but short on flavor. That is definitely not the case here. De la Garza modifies traditional recipes (including many from family and friends) to make them healthier while increasing seasonings and vegetables to make the dishes even more zippy and robust. And she zeroes in on naturally healthy and distinctively Mexican ingredients (avocadoes, tomatillos, beans, chiles, cilantro, jicama, corn tortillas) and features them in the book’s 140 vibrant and satisfying recipes.

The recipes from the author’s own collection give the book a personal touch, and I’m particularly drawn to these de la Garza clan favorites: Salsa Ranchera; Light Red Chile Sauce; Onion and Tomato Relish; Mexican Chicken Noodle Soup; Spicy Braised Chicken; Corn Cakes; Rice with Corn and Onions; and Mexican-Style Pinto Beans. And as the granddaughter of a vaquero (Texas cowboy), de la Garza speaks with authority when talking about Cowboy Bread (although hers substitutes oil for shortening).

Cooks short on time might want to try easy recipes like Grilled Quesadillas with Scallions and Lime; Chile Quesadillas; Chile-Lime Jicama; and Garlic-Lime Rice—all of which can be prepared in a flash. Cooks looking for something more unusual might want to try Nopalitas Salad (made with young cactus pods) or Tlalpeño Soup (named for the Tlalpeño area of Mexico City where it originated). And slow cooker devotees will want to make Pork Pernil Tacos and Chicken in Orange Sauce. Anyone who has wanted to try their hand at making Chicken Tamales (or one of two vegetarian variations of this notoriously time-consuming dish to prepare) should try de la Garza’s simpler method for cooking these.

Healthy Easy Mexican uses common grocery store ingredients and offers advice on stocking a Mexican pantry in order to make easy yet flavorful meals. Mexican Spice Blend (a mixture of cumin seeds, black peppercorns, garlic, and water) is easy to blitz in a blender and serves as the foundation for many of the book’s recipes. No special kitchen equipment is required to make these recipes.

And there are other features worth noting. The book is beautifully designed with full-color illustrations of Mexican tile marking the beginnings of each section/chapter. It includes primers (also full-color) on Mexican cheeses and chiles and how to use them. De la Garza suggests mixing reduced-fat cheeses with full-fat cheese to make dishes taste richer while keeping calories in check—a great tip. Spanish names for recipes are given, which is a welcome touch. Nutritional information is included (as well as diabetic exchanges).

The book devotes a chapter to meatless meals and suggests ways to use leftovers. Although inexpensive recipes abound, dishes that might be considered more of a splurge (especially seafood like salmon, red snapper, and swordfish) are also well represented. Many of the book’s desserts, like Fresh Papaya with Raspberry Yogurt; Mangoes and Strawberries with Cream; and Watermelon Agua Fresca feature fresh fruit. Chocolate lovers, ever mindful of their health, may want to finish their meal with Mexican Chocolate Meringues made with Abuelita chocolate.

Mexican food is popular worldwide, and de la Garza’s fresh, healthy, and delicious take on the cuisine has the potential to make a significant and positive difference in the way that we enjoy it. In addition to being an essential book for home cooks, this is an important title for all adult general library collections and should be available in bookstore cookbook sections. It will also be valuable to nutritionists and dieticians developing menus in schools, hospitals, and retirement communities.

Thank you to NetGalley and The Experiment for providing me free pre-publication access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

Brilliant recipes to try typical Mexican food and not overindulge.
The recipes are authentic with all the Mexican foods we know and love but with enough information to know what exactly we are preparing. Low calorie dishes, full of fruit and vegetables!
You can replace certain ingredients to match your preferred diet and the recipes aren’t too long.
It’s easy to read and follow and the dishes come out colourful and yummy.

I am now inspired to cook a little more Mexican. I was happily surprised when I first looked inside this book. There were a lot more recipes than I had anticipated, and I think this book was formatted and organized quite well. That being said, I would have liked to see a few more pictures of the recipes themselves. Ingredients are simplified, as promised, which makes both shopping for ingredients and preparation easier. My main complaint, however, is the "healthy" aspect to this book. Ingredient substitutions and recommendations felt like the sort of thing I was reading 20 years ago (e.g. low fat/non fat substitutions). I read in one review that this is actually a refreshed version of an older book, so that is probably why. Overall a good book with a wide assortment of recipes that I would maybe adjust for nutritional preferences.